Middle East France makes new claims of chemical weapons attacks in Syria

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FRANCE claimed today that Syria’s government has used chemical weapons in attacks on extremist-occupied areas.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV: “All indications show us today that the Syrian regime is using chlorine gas at the moment.”

That followed the latest claims that the armed forces had carried out chlorine gas attacks in East Ghouta, north-east of Damascus.

"An investigation has been opened on that matter by the United Nations," Mr Le Drian said.

The UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed today it was "investigating all credible allegations" and would report back to the organisation’s member states.

The claims could set the stage for a repeat of last April’s US cruise missile attack on a Syrian airbase after the Khan Sheikhoun massacre.

Syria and ally Russia both denounced the attack as a false flag “provocation” by al-Qaida-affiliated Hetesh terrorists occupying the central town, designed to give pretext for US military intervention on their side.

Both have since slammed the OPCW probe into the incident as fatally flawed, relying on tainted evidence provided by the terrorists themselves.

The Syrian Armed Forces General Command said Israeli jets had again violated Lebanese airspace to launch missiles at a site west of Damascus, but air defences had shot down most of the projectiles.

The Foreign Ministry said the attack was intended to support beleaguered terrorists and prolong the war in Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister paid a rare visit to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on yesterday, threatening Iran over claims it was establishing bases in Syria.

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed a “diplomatic road map” for Syria over the coming weeks.

That took place as Turkey and its proxy jihadi forces continued their assault on the north-western Syrian canton of Afrin, held by the US-supported Kurdish People’s Protection Units.

Turkish artillery destroyed part of a primary school and nearby houses in Midanki village today and damaged the water plant serving Afrin city.